Bhuna Masala Recipe (Indian Curry base)

Last updated on September 13th, 2020

Love Indian curries? having a jar of this bhuna masala or the curry base will come super handy for you. Made with onions, tomatoes and very few other staple ingredients, this curry base will have your dinner woes sorted 🙂 Here is how you can make classic and tasty Indian bhuna masala base in minutes!

What Is Bhuna Masala?

Bhuna or bhoona means roasted, so bhuna masala typically translates to roasted masala or roasted curry base. This is a base for many Indian curries.

Onion and tomatoes are the base for this base. Few other whole spices and spice powders are also used but you can totally alter them to your taste.

Bhuna paneer, chicken bhuna, mushroom bhuna are few popular ones made specially with this base. However you will find this curry base very handy for many other Indian curries.

Another tasty secret is that this sauce goes very well as dipping sauce or quick side dish for breakfast like dosa, toast or paratha.

Why Make This Recipe At Home?

Yes, this masala is easily available in stores so why take the pain of making at home?

While preservatives and additives in the store bought ones are obvious, I would say your homemade base is totally customizable 🙂

I like mild garlic flavor, so added just few cloves. If you are a fan, go ahead and add a whole head. Not a fan of onion, add very little or even skip it.

Wanna boost the nutrition or color?, add some grated carrots or beetroots. See where I am going with this?

Homemade bhuna masala is economical, why pay a bomb for something when can you can make the same at a fraction of cost?

Set aside 30 minutes during your weekends and sort dinner for several coming days easily 🙂

This Bhuna Masala Recipe Is

Easy, quick and takes less than 30 minutes.

Very versatile sauce that you can use in multiple ways

Vegan & gluten free

Customizable, vary the ingredients as per your taste

Freezes really well

So are you now convinced that you should totally make this sauce at home? Great it is easy and totally worth your time 🙂

You Will Need

Onions- Onions along with tomatoes form the base of this curry. You can add equal parts of onions and tomatoes or add a bit less of onions for milder flavor.

Tomatoes- Use red ripe tomatoes for best flavor. I like to use a combination of desi and salad tomatoes for balanced flavor.

Garlic– Add as much or less as you like

Spices- you will need the basic spice powders used in Indian cooking like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder etc. Use whichever you prefer.

How To Make Bhuna Masala

Prepping the veggies

You will need finely chopped onions, minced ginger-garlic-green chili and pureed tmatoes. You can use a food processor or chop by hand.

Making the curry base

Heat 1/4 cup oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Temper with cumin seeds

Add chopped onions and saute for a minute or two.

Now add minced ginger-garlic-green chilies.

Saute well till the raw smell of onions wean off.

Add the tomato puree and mix gently. Cook in medium flame for 4-5 minutes, keeping the pan open.

Add the spice powders, salt and sugar. Mix very well.

Cook in open pan for 5-6 minutes.

Now Cover the pan and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until oil leaves the sides of the pan. The contents should get cooked and reduced in volume.

Let cool thoroughly and store in clean jar.

How To Store

You can refrigerate this curry base for 2 weeks in a clean jar. This also freezes well for moths. Just portion out and freeze in small jars.

For making a curry for three, you will around 1/2 to 3/4 cup depending upon the other ingredients you use.

How To Use This Curry Base?

You can mix in some milk or cashew paste to dilute the sauce, simmer for few minutes and add cubed paneer or boiled or fried potatoes or mushrooms or chickpeas for easiest curry. Adjust salt before serving.

You can also use this curry alone as base and make restaurant style paneer bhuna or mushroom bhuna.

I sometimes add 1/4 cup of this masala while making masala pasta. So yummy!

Use this curry as spreading sauce for sandwich, pizza, toast. There are so many options and delicious ways to use this curry.

I hope you will try this recipe and enjoy as much as we did. Please give a star rating ★ in the recipe card below. Follow us on Pinterest , Instagram, Facebook   for more recipes and ideas.